How fitting that Passion Sunday and MarchForOurLives occurred the same weekend. As Jesus rode (marched) into Jerusalem to confront humankind’s brokenness, so did millions around the world march to confront the brokenness of gun violence.
Gun violence does break us. Since 1999, 187,000 students have been directly impacted by school gun violence in 193 schools. Since 2006, 6,000 Chicago kids have been killed and 16,000 kids wounded in gun violence. Last year, about 37,000 people died of gun violence in the USA. The USA is #1 among Western Developed Nations in the rate of gun violence, nearly more than all those nations combined!
We cannot say with Goethe, “Noble be Man, merciful and good!” Humankind is askew. Jesus knew it. The kids know it. Jesus rode. The kids marched.
The kids echoed Jesus’ words, “Enough!”, “No more of this!” Columbine, enough, no more of this! Virginia Tech, enough, no more of this! Umpqua, enough, no more of this! San Bernardino, enough, no more of this! Red Lake, enough, no more of this! Sandy Hook, enough, no more of this! Las Vegas, enough, no more of this! Sutherland Springs, enough, no more of this! Orlando, enough, no more of this! Parkland, enough, no more of this!
As God stood up, spoke up, acted up and rode up on Passion Sunday; as the kids stood up, spoke up, acted up and marched up on Saturday, so are we who profess Christ and deem ourselves in union with God’s Image, called to stand up, speak upon, act up and ride up to make real the will of God in our homes, communities, schools and nation, that we demand an end to this gun carnage! God did not recline at a distance, munch grapes and abrogate love and responsibility. God in Christ engaged the powers of evil. Now, we as followers of Christ, are free to demand the City of God be one of peace and love! Laws make a difference!
Let’s ride! Let’s march! Let’s demand! Let’s make Goethe’s words live.
Peace!
Ron